Game 8 – bonus edition!

Game eight really was a shocker and it was certainly a challenge for your blogger to pick the right tweets to create a comprehensive twitter report. I ended the previous blog post with some Tarjei statistics after the last move was played, but the tweetflood after the game was over did not stop. I spotted many remarkable and emotional post-game tweets. Here is a selection.

@Mark_A_Hooper: “You know when couch-potatoes yell at football players on tv? The chess commentary on Twitter makes that look rational.”

The press conference scandal

Magnus failed to attend the press conference after the game. You can watch the post-game videos on several websites to see what happened to conceive an opinion. Twitter was not amused:

@Sandra_Hohmann:”Magnus doesn’t attend press conf. I understand he’s disappointed and maybe angry with himself, but that’s unprofessional”. @poisondPwnPress: “Carlsen storming off without talking to the press is poor form. Unfortunate, but I can understand emotions running high.”

@nf3nc6: “MC with his behaviour, disregard for others & arrogance, probably does not deserve to hold such a Classy Title as Chess WC”.

@reachvsara:“WCh ’12 Moscow. Vishy lost game 7. He stayed back for Press Conf. Answered more questions than oppo. Just saying”. @sirgeorgethomas: “Anand had to suffer at the press conference in a dignified silence after losing but Magnus is too busy crying”.

@Eilert:“Until today I was proud to be Norwegian in the world of chess. Now I feel the urge to apologize to every other nation”.

@sandeeproy1: “With Magnus, are we going back to the old, snooty Grandmaster types?”

But there was some support on Twitter for the reigning champion: @wallaceChessLtd.:“Magnus Carlsen is only human & we are often limited by too many rules. Conferences and press can wait, emotions come first.”

@kajasnare:“You should know @MagnusCarlsen waited at the press conference for several minutes before he left because it took a long time for it to start“.

Anyway, not appearing at the press conference will cost Magnus some pocket money: @TarjeiJS:“So Carlsen’s failure to appear at the press conference will likely lead to a fine of 60K or 40K Euro depending on who wins”.

@EuropeEchecs: “We talk much more about the press conference because Carlsen did not stay. FIDE should pay Carlsen for it :)”

After the game and some sleep, most tweeters calmed down a bit and evaluated the new situation: @MarkTWIC: “Thinking about it overnight game 8 was likely entirely the kind of emotionally sapping contest Carlsen had in mind. Just not losing it.”

@MartinChess:“Let’s face it: the result yesterday was the best thing that could happen to the match”.

@GMJtis: “Magnus has the best sporting mentality I have ever seen, absolute world class. He will find his best now.”

@brigosling: “The mark of a great player is in his ability to come back. The great champions have all come back from defeat”.

The last tweet goes out to @normanwhyse who knows why it will be a difficult task for Magnus: “Think Karjakin either has a great psychologist on his team or a witch.”